As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option available to users is information handling systems. An information handling system generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes thereby allowing users to take advantage of the value of the information. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements vary between different users or applications, information handling systems may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in information handling systems allow for information handling systems to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, information handling systems may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems.
Notebook computers have been provided with two internal graphics processing units (GPUs)—a power saving but lower performance internal integrated GPU (iGPU), and a higher performance (but less power efficient) internal discrete GPU (dGPU). The internal iGPU is integrated within the host CPU inside the notebook computer chassis enclosure, and the internal discrete GPU is provided inside the enclosure of a notebook computer chassis and coupled to the host CPU using an internal data bus. The internal discrete GPU consumes more power than the internal iGPU but also provides higher 3D performances as needed for game play. “Switchable graphics” refers to a technology that allows a user to select between the internal integrated GPU and the internal discrete GPU of a notebook computer based on the graphics processing required by an application that is currently executing on the information handling system. The intent of switchable graphics is to provide users longer battery times when no high-performance graphics are needed.
Switchable graphics technology has been implemented using switchable graphics drivers executing on the host CPU within the notebook computer chassis enclosure to provide users the choice of low power graphics (internal iGPU for low power draw) or high performance graphics (internal dGPU for gaming). This allows a notebook computer user to extend notebook computer battery life by allowing the user to select to use the lower power internal integrated GPU for more mundane graphics processing applications, and to enable the higher performance and higher power consuming internal discrete GPU only for applications with demanding graphics processing requirements such as gaming applications. Examples of available switchable graphics technology include Nvidia Optimus technology and AMD Power Express technology. While some switchable graphics implementations require a system reboot to switch between the internal discrete GPU and the internal integrated GPU, switchable graphics drivers have been developed that allow a user to switch between the internal discrete GPU and the internal integrated GPU without system reboot. Switchable graphics software has also been developed that allows users to configure their system to auto-switch from one internal GPU to the other internal GPU in a manner that is transparent to the user. Windows 7/8.1 operating system supports switchable graphics.
An external graphics dock for notebook computers has been developed that includes components external to the notebook computer chassis that connect to internal circuitry inside the notebook computer chassis enclosure via two cables that carry PCI-e 3.0 signals. This external graphics dock includes an external full length (PCI-E Gen 3.0×8 lanes) desktop graphics card coupled to the external dock. Another external graphics dock has been proposed that connects to with a notebook computer via an Expresscard socket, and supports two independent streams—one from the notebook via a pass-thru port on the external dock, and one from the external GPU that is coupled to the dock.